Tetsuya Nonaka

Palm oil and mineral oil based lubricants-their tribological and emission performance

A comparative study of wear, friction, viscosity, lubricant degradation and exhaust emissions was carried out on a palm oil and a mineral oil-based commercial lubricating oil. The wear and friction test was at first conducted using a reciprocating universal wear machine followed by a two-stroke gasoline Yamaha portable generator set, ET 950. The test conditions for the bench test were: pressure, 3.0 MPa; sliding speed, 0.20 m s−1; sliding stroke, 80 mm; room temperature, ≅25°C. The test conditions for the actual engine were: constant load, 0.4 kW for wear of the piston ring but various loads for exhaust emissions and constant speed, 2800 rpm. Analysis of post bench test lubricating oils was performed using ISL viscometer, TAN/TBN analyzer and FT-IR spectroscopy to investigate viscosity, TAN value and the oxidation level, respectively. Exhaust emission analysis was also performed using a BOSCH exhaust gas analyzer. Experimental results demonstrated that the palm oil based lubricating oil exhibited better performance in terms of wears, and that the mineral oil based lubricating oil exhibited better performance in terms of friction. However, the palm oil based lubricant was the more effective in reducing the emmission levels of CO and hydrocarbon.

Performance, emissions and wear characteristics of an indirect injection diesel engine using coconut oil blended fuel

Abstract Dynamometer tests have been carried out to evaluate the performance, emissions and wear characteristics of an indirect injection diesel engine when fuelled by 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 per cent blends of ordinary coconut oil (COCO) with ordinary diesel fuel (OD). The test was conducted for 100 h using each of the test fuels to monitor the effect of COCO blends on the wear and lubricating oil performance. OD fuel was also used for comparison purposes. The operating performance of the engine and the emission characteristics of exhaust gases were compared. The effect of blended fuel on the engins wear and lubrication characteristics in terms of wear metal (Fe), water concentration, oxidation, viscosity, total base number and additive depletion was analysed. The performance and emissions characteristics results showed that 10-30 per cent coconut oil blends produced slightly higher performance in terms of brake power than OD. All the COCO blends produced lower exhaust emissions including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and particulate matter. The wear and lubrication oil characteristics results showed that COCO blends up to 30 per cent produced similar results to OD. This programme will give useful information for further research and development in the future if COCO is used as an alternative to OD.